The SPR in action
by cathy.p90
Summary: Naru, Mai and the rest of SPR are called to the small village which are dealing with strange and terrfied happenings. What will happen? Surely, not what would be expected. Mai/Naru, Ayako/Takigawa.
1. Prologue

_Hello ^^_

_I recently watched 'Ghost hunt' when I had a free time and decided to write something. I hope that you will like it :D_

_And I'm aware that I need a beta. So if someone has some free time and the will to deal with my grammar I will be really glad ^^"_

_Please, leave a review after you finish reading :D I would love to know what you are thinking about it D_

_Enjoy this little prologue :D_

~G H O S T H U N T~

„_This is going to be Bad…" _

That was the only thought in Mai's head when she was running to Her work. Yes, that wasn't anything new, she was late. Again. And she was sure like hell that Naru wouldn't let her go easily. But it really wasn't her fault… maybe a little. But the math was so boring that she had to fall asleep! Especially when she had gone to bad lately the previous night. But she was one hundred percent sure that Naru wouldn't understand that. That jerk was so perfect that he would never be late anywhere, no matter what would be going on. It was so abnormal that Mai not once wandered if he was a human or some kind of alien.

Stopping in front of the door leading to SPR office she took a big deep breath to calm her heart which were beating like crazy after the run and grab the hold of the handle in the same time when it was pulled from the other side. She was pulled forward by the force of it and landed, so much in Mai's style, on her face in front of shiny black shoes.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry! I didn't know that someone was there!"

Mai slowly raised her eyes, warm brown met by baby blue. The girl with long blond hair was standing over her, covering her mouth with her hand and looking down on fallen brunet with slight fear on her face.

"I-I'm fine, don't worry…" Mai replied, smiling and sitting on the ground, slowly bringing herself up to normal position.

"Don't worry about my assistant, Takara-san." Mai frowned when she heard this so well-known voice coming from behind the girl. "It's only the fault of her clumsiness and unpunctuality."

Naru was looking on Mai with unemotional face but Mai swear that that there was a hint of smirk in his eyes, she was sure of it! This jerk was making fun of her again…

"Anyway, I and my team will meet with you tomorrow at the address you left." Naru continued, turning his attention to the girl, who Mai guessed was their new client.

"Thank you so much again, Shibuya-san." The blond girl said, bowing deeply to him and then to Mai. "And I'm sorry again."

Mai also bowed slightly, aware of the eyes of her boss following her every step. Their client soon left, leaving both teens alone in the office. Lin was in his office, taping something already on his computer, Mai could hear it. The silence was so nice…

"You are late. Again."

But every pleasant thing had to end at one point.

"I know, the teacher wanted me to stay after class." Mai replied, sighing and taking of her jacket.

"Last time I checked you had this little device called mobile phone." Naru said, watching her as she walked to her desk. "You should call."

He would never tell her that in reality he was worried about her. He had watched the news where everyone were talking now about the rapist who was attacking the young girls. He seriously had considered sending Lin after her when she had been an hour late but then the client came in.

"I didn't have time, the teacher wouldn't allow to use the phone in the class." Was her answer. "Naru, I'm really sorry, it won't happen again, I promise." She looked on him with this puppy eyes she always used when she wanted something. Not that this had any effect on him. Of course it had not. At least in his opinion.

"I hope so. I'm not paying you for being late and scaring our clients." Naru said, putting his crossed arms on his chest.

"Oi, I didn't…!" Mai looked on him with red cheeks but before she could end the shouting session she was cut short. Like always.

"Call everyone. We have new case and I'm expecting them here in an hour." It was all Naru said before he closed the doors to his small private office, leaving Mai in the middle of her sentence.

"You jerk!"

Mai grabbed the phone and started to dial everyone. She had to admit that she really missed them.

~G H O S T H U N T~

"I… c-can't… breath…"

That was the only words Mai could sputter out from her when she had been crushed into the bear hug by Takigawa. Really, she missed this guy also, very much, but it wasn't the reason to suffer from the luck of oxygen!

"You are suffocating her, you moron!"

Mai was suddenly released with quiet cry of pain and when she looked up, breathing normally finally, she saw that the older man was now massaging his head, where the bruise was forming itself pretty quickly.

"What was that for?" the monk glared on the red head woman who was standing next to him, her glare very similar to his.

"You almost killed her, I just couldn't stood here and do nothing!" Ayako shouted.

"I wasn't killing her. I was showing her my love! And how much I missed her!"

"And your sign of love is suffocating? Not very generous option!"

"You are just jealous!" Takigawa pouted, the hint of humor present in his eyes.

"Oh really, I would like to hear of what?"

"Because you yourself want to be in the arms of the most handsome, smartest and sexiest man on the planet!"

"Why you little…"

"Now, now, please, don't fight!"

Mai only smiled on the falling attempt made by John to calm down this two. Even she knew that it would be not help anyway, when this two are fighting, nothing would stop them.

"Are you done with children play already?"

Silence.

'_Well, nothing but Naru'_Mai thought, turning her head to look on the dark haired teen who walked calmly to the sit he usually took while talking about new case.

Lin was still in his office, Mai heard the calming sound of tapping coming from there.

"So, what's the case, Naru?" Takigawa asked, when everyone took their places.

"We were haired by Sakura Takara, the daughter of the major of small village called Otaraka." Naru started, taking a sip of his tea, which Mai had placed previously on the table. "They were attacked by the series of strange happenings, which they can't really explain."

"What kind of strange happenings?" Ayako asked, listening closely.

"Some of then are basic, like moving objects, voices from nowhere or the sight of strange figure."

"Can it be poltergeist?" Mai asked, looking on Takigawa with question in her eyes.

"I thought something similar on the beginning." It was Naru who answered her. "But than Takara-san said that there are also people who were being possessed by some unknown force."

"What? How?"

"I don't know yet. But she said that there are few cases when the person was found to be on the edge of committing suicide, cutting her/his wrist or jumping from the cliff etc. But when they were found before doing it, they just passed out. After waking up, they didn't remember anything. As if nothing happened."

"Looks like they are possessed by the ghost…" Takigawa said thoughtfully.

"Yes, it does. But it's not the end of the story. I have been sent a note from the medium who is currently staying there. He or she, I don't know because there was no signature and the person wanted to stay anonymous for time being, is claiming that the ghost surely aren't behind the possessing. However they are playing the main part in the whole situation."

"Huh, pretty mysterious…" Ayako said.

"I'm curious who the medium is." Mai said, touching her chin.

"We will find out in time being." Naru replied, looking on the file. "By now there are four cases of death and twenty other tried of committing suicide."

"Twenty?" Mai looked on Nary shocked. That was pretty impressive number.

"Yes, Mai. The major doesn't want to notice the police about it. Takara-san said that they are the small society and they don't want to spread the panic around. And there is also the case of killed animals. Every night one of the animal which are kept by citizens are being killed by the cut through the throat. No one was caught on doing it."

"Well, it looks pretty interesting." Takigawa said when Naru paused.

"Certainly not easy." John added, thinking about it.

"We are meeting here tomorrow at twelve." Naru said, standing up from his place.

"Roger!"

"Mai, don't forget to put on your clock. Like I said, I'm not paying you for being late."

With that, he walked to his room, not paying any attention to his fuming assistant.

~G H O S T H U N T~

In the small village called Otaraka the nineteen years old boy smirked after talking to Sakura Takara. The things were going to be turning in really interesting direction from now.


	2. Silent screams I

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who read first chapter, here is the second one :D_

_Please leave a review when you finish reading :D_

Lily moon: _Thanks for your review :D I will try to make the rest of the chapters good enough to read, I promise :D__  
_

_~G H O S T H U N T~ _

Mai sighed with her eyes closed. They were driving recently to Otaraka, just how Naru had promised to their client. The brown haired girl, surprisingly, had not been late, even had arrived before others. The reason why she did so had stayed with her, she hadn't tell it to anyone.

In reality, she had one of the nightmares which usually persecuted her after cases. And that one wasn't the exception. This time she was again in the house of the Prime Minister. She watched again as someone was killed, but this time, to her great horror, it had been Naru, not herself or one of the real victims. She woke up with the tears on her cheeks and couldn't came back to sleep, no matter how hard she tried. She had spent three hours lying there before deciding to get up and do something useful, what means watching the cartoons. It may be a little childish, but it helped her relax after the nightmares.

Mai sighed exaggerate. Just like expected, she couldn't catch even a little sleep. She wanted to do it during the ride before Naru would made her did the hard work, but the sleep just didn't want to come! She glanced on her boss, who was sitting on the passenger seat next to Lin, looking into the folder and reading something, what, as Mai could see, was written in English. She furrowed her brows. There was one thing which also occupied her mind recently, it were her visions. Yes, she still had them, like always. But Naru wasn't present in them. She still loved him, there was no room to discussion. The reaction of her heart when he was close to her or the fact that she was thinking about him all the time was enough reasons to convince her about it. And the presence of Naru in her visions and dreams often made her feel better, especially when they were a nasty ones. But during the last three cases her dreams were empty, only herself and the ghost or whoever about she was dreaming. She didn't have anyone to ask about it, because if she said something, she would have to admit that she loved him. Not that the others didn't know about it, of course they did. But it was different to admit it herself. Especially when she knew that he would never feel the same to her.

She looked through the window on the forest which were visible around the road.

_'Even the scenery is boring…' _ she thought. When she was trying to get sleep they were also driving through the forest and this was around an hour ago.

Suddenly, something white caught her eye. And there was this strange feeling… in the moment the white movement caught her eye, she felt scared, very scared. As if her life was in danger at the exact moment.

"Stop the car!" she screamed before she could stopped herself.

Lin stepped into the brake with the big force and reflex which Mai would admire if she wasn't so concentrate on the sight behind the window.

"Mai, what…" Naru starter, but wasn't listened at all.

As soon as the car stopped Mai get out of the car and almost run to the forest, where she saw the figure for the last time. But there was nothing. Just the normal forest, with trees and bushes. But the feeling was still present there, almost making her shiver. But she still was moving forward.

"Mai!" she could hear Naru behind her, with the second pair of footsteps which she knew were Lin. "What was that about?"

Mai turned to him to explain what she saw, or at least thought she saw, but before she could do anything, blackness took over her completely.

~ G H O S T H U N T~

_Mai opened her eyes slowly, the sleepiness slowly fading away. She blinked few times, not recognizing her surroundings. She was in small room, the only furniture there was the single bed she was lying at and small shelf with few books and empty cup. She sat straight and looked around to take a closer look. The faint light coming from the small window allow her to do it. She get up and walked closer to it to look through. To her surprise she found the bars which stopped her from opening it. _

_Mai furrowed her brows. Where the hell was she? And where was Naru and the rest of the team? The last thing she remembered that she was at the forest… she lowered her head slightly and something felt on her forehead. A fringe? She didn't have a fringe… She looked down on herself. She was wearing white dress, reaching her feet. Mai took the fringe between fingers and pulled it down slightly. The blond hair. So it was one of her dreams…_

_Suddenly she heard some noise coming from the door and turned around. Would it be… No, the man who went inside wasn't the tall black haired teen she wanted to see. It was older man with longer white hair, wearing clothes which she remembered she saw once in her history textbook. He was holding a tray with small plate with some kind of soup, if Mai saw correctly and new cup. _

_"Get enough sleep?" he asked her roughly, not even glancing on her._

_"Why do you care?" Mai heard herself asking, but in different voice which didn't belong to her. "You are going to kill me anyway!"_

_"Be quiet, it should be a honor for you to be chosen one!" the man said, still not looking at her._

_"A honor? Being killed for some stupid…"_

_She wasn't able to finish because of the sudden pain in her cheek. She looked shocked on the man who still had his hand raised and was glaring on her with furry in his eyes._

_"Don't be stupid! You will be great help to village! Stop this whining and be proud, just as your mother is!" he shouted, looking down on her finally._

_"There is nothing to be proud of! You are killing young women with stupid explanation! You are simple monster, who even shouldn't exist! Bigger than the one who…"_

_"Be quiet, girl!" the man shouted, raising his hand again but putting it down after the moment. "Here is you dinner, enjoy it while you still can."_

_With that the man turned on her heel and get out from the room, leaving Mai alone. When the doors closed behind him and the footsteps went quiet, the girl fell on her knees and hide her head in her hands. _

_~G H O S T H U N T~ _

"Mai… MAI!"

Mai moaned slightly when someone shook her arm. She slowly opened her eyes and looked straight into familiar eyes of Ayako, which were looking down on her with worry in them.

"Mai! How are you feeling?" she asked as soon as she saw that Mai opened her eyes.

"I-I'm fine…" Mai said and with little help of Ayako she sat straight.

She looked around. She was in some comfy looking room, which she had never seen before. She looked on Ayako with question in her eyes.

"You fainted in the forest and Naru decided to move you to the village." Ayako answered, seeing her questioning look. "Bou-san bring you here. Naru ordered me to stay with you."

Mai nodded her head in acknowledgements.

"You were crying…" Ayako said and when Mai looked on her she continued. "I woke you uo because you started to cry. Did you have another dream?"

"Yeah." Mai nodded. "I have to see Naru. Where is he?"

"Mai, you should lie down…" Ayako was looking on her with worry in her eyes, not sure if she should let her go or stop her.

"Ayako, I'm fine, really." Mai smiled on her, showing that there was nothing wrong with her.

Ayako watched her for a few seconds longer before sighing with defeat.

"I wouldn't be able to stop you anyway…" she said and stood up "They are putting the equipment, come on I will go with you."

"Thanks, Ayako." Mai smiled to the miko with grateful.


	3. Silent screams II

Thanks for reviews :D

And Sorry for long break, but I had some problems and couldn't upload. I hope that I would do it more often now :D

Please,leave me a word after reading.

~G H O S T H U N T~

Mai looked on Naru, who was looking through the window on something only known to him. She just finished telling him what she had experienced in her vision. She knew that there wasn't much information, but after all this cases she knew better than to hide something connected with case from him. It would never help, only made things worse.

"Killing young women…" Takigawa said, thinking about it deeply. "Maybe they were doing some kind of ritual?"

"Ritual?" Mai looked on him questioningly.

"Some time ago it was pretty popular, especially in smaller villages, to gave the sacrifice to some higher god or devil, depends from believers. Usually it was some kind of animal or food, but sometimes, when the villagers were more superstition, they gave away their daughter or sisters, especially the virgins." Takigawa explained, turning to her. "The younger girl was, the more valuable she was for the god or devil. I remember that in one village the researchers found bones of ten girls in age of sixteen, and they were supposedly being given as sacrifice to the local idol. Maybe they wanted gain a blessing from the god and he girl who Mai saw was one of the victim?" Takigawa looked on Naru with question.

"Well, that is pretty good and accurate suggestion, but there is one problem: there aren't any records about idol or god being worshiped here."

Every pair of eyes which belonged to SPR team turned in the direction of doors, from where the voice rang. Mai looked very surprised on young girl who was standing there, leaning over the doorframe. She looked around Mai's age, with brown hair pulled into ponytail and few free strands framing her face and big green eyes, which were looking on everyone mischievously. When her eyes landed on Naru's surprised face, the girl's face broke into small smirk.

"Yo, Noll."

In the answer, Naru shoot up from his chair, walked fast to the girl and dragged her not very gently as Mai wandered, from the room, not sparing any time to explain anything to the rest of the team. Mai blinked surprised on so unNaru reaction of her boss on the sight of the girl's face. The teen rarely showed his emotion after all. It was very clear that he knew that girl. But from where? Mai would love to know that.

"Who was that?" Ayako asked surprised, turning to the rest.

"Maybe she is a medium who sent Naru the note?" Takigawa asked, looking on the doors where their boss and stranger disappeared.

"No, she isn't the medium." All eyes turned this time to Lin, who had his calm mask again on his face.

"You know her?" Mai asked, turning to the man. Well, there was no need to be suprirsed, honestly. After all, Lin had known Naru for long time as the rest was aware, so it was normal to them to knew the same people.

"She is … an old friend of Naru." Lin replied, turning back to his computer. There was nothing he could do at the moment, so he could came back to his work. At least something good would come from this.

"An old friend?" Mai repeated, looking on Lin's back, but the man ignored her, already typing something on his laptop.

She exchanged surprised and curious glanced with Ayako. The older woman shrugged her shoulders. They could only wait for the answer until Naru returned.

It took good over five minutes for Naru to come back into the room with the girl behind him. He was clearly pissed, Mai could tell it by the way his eyes were slightly smaller. However, the brown haired girl had a smirk on her face. It reminded Mai of someone…

"She will be helping us with this case." The dark haired teenager said gloomily, pointing his head on the girl's direction, taking back his seat.

The girl bowed slightly to everyone, smiling happily.

"My name is Mori Katetsu, but please call me Kat. I hope that we will have good time working together."

"Mori?" Mai asked, the surname sounding familiar to her. Then it dawned on her. "Are you related to Madoka-san?"

"Hai!" Kat answered, smiling to her. "She is my older sister. And that's why I'm here anyway." she added, pointing her head in the direction of the blue folder in Naru's hand, which Mai missed before. "Naru asked her to collect some information about this village, but she couldn't come here herself and she isn't the person who trust post very much, so she send me."

Kat looked on the only person younger than Naru in the team. She heard a lot about everyone from Madoka and she was really anxious to meet them all. Especially Taniyama Mai, who, as she had heard from her sister, was able to melt ice around Naru's heart, but the stupid boy was too stubborn to admit it. But Kat wasn't that surprised after that. She could understand what was running around Naru's mind. After all, he had lost one person who was close to his heart not so long ago, and now he was just afraid to let himself feel something to another person in fear of the situation could repeat, especially in their work.

"Anyway." she continued "just like I said before, there was no activity or any idol or god here. However, there were noted some strange disappearing, but the police usually closed the case after an interview with family of the missing person."

"Why?" Takigawa asked, furrowing his brows slightly. "I mean, shouldn't they keep the research until the would find something?"

"Well, the should, but usually it was very good friend or someone close reporting the missing, but the families always gave some good explanation about it, and the facts were matching. However, the person was still whipped from the Earth. Never seen again." She answered, sighing.

"Did Madoka tell you what she thinks about it?" Naru asked, reading something in the folder.

"Nope. She said, I'm quoting: 'It's the job of this idiot scientist to think.'" She smirked on Naru's glare.

Ayako and Mai smiled slightly and Takigawa surprised his laugh.

"Right. Matsuzaki, John, Lin could you take the cameras and situated them in main parts of the city?" he handed the monk a map, where few circles were visible, marked by him. "Mai, Takigawa, Kat, go on the cliff where people were trying to commit suicides. Maybe you will sense something." The boss ordered, not taking his eyes from the folder.

Before they came out, Mai saw that Naru however took of his eyes from the folder. He exchanged long looks with Kat, before the girl noted her head and exited the room.

~G H O S T H U N T~

Mai, Takigawa and Kat were walking the main street, heading in the direction of the cliff. Mai was glancing from time to time on Kat, curious about her past with Naru. She knew that the girl was Madoka's sister, but still… she had to admit that Kat was really pretty girl, and from some reason Mai thought that she would looked good with her boss. The little spark of jealously shout in her mind. Mai shook her head. No, she shouldn't feel like that!

Kat was fighting with her smirk. She could feel Mai glances on her. She wandered if the girl was jealous about her. It was kinda funny in her opinion and in other situation she could used it to tease the girl, but she knew that Mai had hard love life with Naru anyway. so she dropped it. Her heart was still taken anyway.

"So, Kat-chan, how long do you know Naru?" Takigawa asked. He never liked long silence.

"Actually I know him since I was four, that makes fifteen years now." Kat said, looking into the sky. "We were pretty good friend together with Gene, spending most of our times together."

Mai blinked on her.

"Who is Gene?" she asked, looking curiously on Kat. She was very curious about Naru's past.

Kat stopped suddenly and looked on her with shock in her eyes. Then she narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Actually, how much do you know about Naru?" she asked with slight curiousity.

Mai and Takigawa thought about it for a moment before answering.

"Not much, really. His name is Shibuya Kazuya, he is narcissist addicted to tea and he loves to make fun of me." Mai answered, putting her finger to her chin. "Oh, and that his parents are professors of some kind, Lin made it slip one time." She added, remembering it from the case in prime Minister house.

"Well, we thing that he is an only child, you know?" Takigawa added, rubbing his neck. "Ayako said that in some way he is acting like one."

Kat closed her eyes and took big breath. There was no sense in getting angry now when the guy she was going to murder painfully is away. She would get angry later. She think about it for a moment.

_'As I already let it slip, I will explain at aleast this one aspect. The rest this idiot will have to do alone.'_ She thought before returning her attention to Mai and Takigawa, who were watching here closely.

"Naru isn't the only child, he had a brother." She said, earning surprised glances from both people in front of her. "Actually they were twins."

"Were?" Mai asked.

To tell the truth, she was pretty shocked. And little hurt, she had to admit it. After all, even if she loved him dearly, she really didn't know _anything _about him. Nothing about his family, his past… It was stabbing her heart even so lightly.

"Yeah, you see, Gene… died few years ago." Kat replied, rubbing her forehead. Why of all people she was the one to explain it? "He was the main reason why Naru arrived to Japan in first place."

"Wait, Naru isn't from Japan?" Takigawa shouted, surprised even more.

"No."

"Where is he from?"

"I won't tell. He had his reason to hide it, even if it was stupid, and he is the one who has to tell you all the truth." Kat explained.

"But…" Mai started, but Kat interrupted her by shaking her head with stubborn look in her eyes.

"Gome, Mai, but I really can't. It's not my secret to tell."

Mai nodded her head, understanding the situation.

"We should get moving or the dragon will kill us for slacking." The green eyes girl said, moving in the direction which Naru showed them on the map.

The village wasn't very big so the walk took them around ten minutes. Mai had to admit that the sight from the top of the cliff was really beautiful. The sea was calm and reflecting the sunshine in warm orange colors. There was small forest on both sides of the path leading there, giving the impression of quietness and calm. Mai took big breath of fresh, sea air, smiling to herself without even realising it.

"So, according to the acts we got, people tried to jump from here fifteen times already, two of them succeeded in it." Takigawa said, looking over the edge of the cliff. "Who, it's pretty dangerous down there!"

Both of the girls moved next to him, peeking down. Right under the edge there were many sharp rocks, there was no way someone could be alive after jumping there.

"Rest of the victims cut their veins, right?" Kat asked, looking around.

"Hai." Mai answered her. "There were twenty victims in total, plus five dead."

"Mai?" Takigawa asked, earning girl's attention. "Go sleep."

"W-What?" Mai shouted on the monk, looking on him as if he was crazy. "Here?"

"Yes! After all, you will have a vision right then!"

"I'm not going to sleep here on the ground! It's too cold!"

"I will give you my jacket." Takigawa suggested with big smile on his face.

"Bou-san… don't make me kill you!"

Kat smirked on their antics. From Madoka she heard that they were always like that, there was one of the reason why she agreed to do it. After all, spending her time alone in England lately was pretty boring. She looked down with small smile gracing her lips, remembering the time of her childhood, when Gene and Naru had had very similar conversations.

When something on the ground caught her eyes, she bent down, furrowing her brows slightly. She moved few strands of grass and touched the small amount of liquid which she had spotted. When she raised her hand up, her eyes widened. There on her fingers were blood.

When she heard a gasp coming from Mai, she looked up on both of the members of the team.

"I-is this blood?" the brown haired girl asked.

"Hai. Mai, please call Naru. It's possible that we have new victim here." Kat answered, staying calm. "Bou-san, could you please come with me?"

Takigawa nodded while Mai fished her phone from her jeans pocket. She quickly dialed Naru's number and waited for him to pick up. In the meantime, Takigawa together with slightly bent down Kat moved into the direction of the forest, following the bloody marks.

'_What is it, Mai?' _ when Naru's voice rang in her ear, she almost sighed in relief.

"Naru, we think that there is another victim here." She said quickly, watching as Takigawa and Kat disappeared in the forest.

'_What?'_By the sound of his voice Mai could tell that he was surprised slightly and already getting ready to the job.

"Kat found some blood on the ground and…"

'_We will be there shortly.' _Naru interrupted her, cutting the call off.

Mai sighed frustrated on the phone. This jerk, always ending called like this. Then, she looked on the ground where Kat was bending just moment before and gulped on the sight of blood. There was pretty much of it… Suddenly her head jerked up and she frowned. This feeling… someone was watching her. And she could feel the murderous aura from this person… o r thing.


	4. Silent screams III

A/N: Thanks everyone for reading and adding to favourites. I only have a hope that you would review my story more often :D

Cross-Pixie-KiKi: I'm really glad that you like my story so much :D And on the side note, in my country we aren;t celebrating Thanksgiving, but thanks anyway for wishes ^^ And happy Thanksgiving to you :D

_Italics _talking in different language

_italic and underline _Talking of the attacker.

~ G H O S T H U N T ~

Kat and Takigawa moved further into the forest, still following the blood. There was a lot of it…

"Do you think that whoever is it is still alive?" the monk asked, with hope present in his voice. Even if he knew that there wasn't much to hope for.

"I don't know. But looking on the amount of blood which we had seen it's very probable that the person bled to death." She answered thoughtfully, her face holding an expression of worry and sadness.

It took them another five minutes to spot something on small clearing. Some person, lying on the side with their back to them. On the first glance it was as if she was sleeping, not aware of anything. Takigawa and Kat exchanged glances before walking closer slowly and cautiously. But when the reached the person, they already knew that she wasn't sleeping. The pool of blood around her and the big cut on her stomach were big gave away to this. Takigawa grimaced slightly on the sight, thinking about the horror which the girl had to feel.

"She didn't die instantly after the cut was made." Kat said, kneeling next to the body, her face almost expressionless, but the look in her eyes were pretty big sign that she felt sorry for the girl and regretted that they didn't arrived sooner on the place. "She just stopped bleeding recently, considering the state of blood. So that means…"

"That the person who did it is still around." Takigawa finished for her, looking around, taking a position to chant if they were attacked.

Kat furrowed her brows, also looking around. There was something wrong… it was just if the killer wanted them to go there, the blood was almost like path for them to follow… But that means….

"Mai!" she shouted suddenly, standing up from her kneeling position and taking into the run in the direction the came from.

"Kat!" she hears Takigawa's screamed and answered him without looking behind.

"Stay here! I'll take care of her!"

~ G H O S T H U N T ~

Mai turned around slowly. The feeling of someone watching her was overwhelming. She felt slightly sick from it, especially of the strange and murderous aura which suddenly surrounded her. She looked around but found nothing. She was alone, at least it looked like that. But she just knew that there was someone with her. She only hoped that Takigawa or Kat would come back quickly. She hated to be alone… especially in situations like this one.

_"What delicious meal is waiting for me"_

Her eyes suddenly widened and her breath caught into her throat when she heard someone's whisper right next to her ear. She froze in her place, not being able to do anything.

_"Just as I like it. Pretty and powerful."_

She heard the whisper again and this time gained enough courage to turn around, but no one was there. She could see only the clear sea in the horizon. But the feeling didn't go away, but instead hardened. She reached into her pocket to take out her phone and call to Naru or Takigawa to came to her, but before he could do anything, something pushed her in the direction of the cliff. She tried to stop, but without much effort, the power was too strong. She opened her mouth to scream, but to her great surprise and horror she couldn't say anything. Even if she tried, nothing came out of her mouth.

_"There is no sense in fighting, sweetheart." _

She heard again, with next push. She was closer to the edge of the cliff. Two more pushes and she would be falling over it… straight on the hard and sharp stones which were down there. She tried to fight with the power behind her again, but nothing could help it. Mai was already at the edge, few stones falling down from under hear foot. She closed her eyes, waiting for the death…

_"Tu qui me duce obsecro pugnare!"_

The moment when the voice rang in the air, Mai felt something brushed next to her, taking the power which was pushing her away. She swayed slightly over the edge of cliff when the hand grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the edge. Since Mai didn't regain her balance completely she fall onto the person and they both landed on the ground. She opened her eyes, looking on the person who saved her and to her slight surprise she saw Kat, lying next to her. In the corner of her eye, Mai could see something black coming into girl's hand and surrounding it, before melting into it and disappearing from her sight.

"Are you all right?" Kat asked, looki

ng on her friend.

Mai nodded her head. She wanted to ask about this black energy, but Kat lied her head down on the ground with closed eyes and took big breath of air.

"I'm really glad…" she muttered, smiling slightly. "But what happened anyway here? It looked like you were trying to jump on the first glance. "

"I don't really know…" Mai replied, furrowing her brows. "It was just as if someone was watching me, then I heard some whispers and the next thing I knew, something was pushing me in the direction of the cliff…" she explained, glad that the feeling of being watched disappeared.

"Mai!" she heard someone's voice calling her name and sit up to look who it was.

Naru was coming in her direction together with Lin. She suspected that he had called him from setting the cameras and Ayako was left in the base.

"What happened?" he asked, watching the face of his assistant. He knew that something was wrong, looking into her eyes. There was still fear in them, and her face was slightly pale. And he didn't think that she and Kat lied down on the ground for fun, especially after what she told him on the phone.

"Something attacked me…" Mai started, and Naru looked closely on her searching for any signs of hurt, but saw nothing. "But Kat came here on time."

"She should be with you all the time, starting with it." He narrowed his eyes glancing on the second who were lying on the ground with still closed eyes. She only waved his hand ignoring him. Naru furrowed his brows.

"But she went to check the blood with Takigawa!" Mai went in the defense of the girl.

She didn't like how Naru sound as if she needed the bodyguard. She wasn't damsel in distress… Maybe sometimes. But it was against her will!

"And did you find anything?" Naru directed the question to Kat who nodded her head.

"Takigawa is there with the body." The girl answered sitting up and finally opening her eyes.

Naru looked on Lin who took in the direction which Kat pointed to him.

"You will tell us everything in the base." Naru said to Mai, still watching her closely what made her blush slightly.

"Hai." She answered, knowing that there was no sense in hiding it. And she didn't see a reason to do it anyway.

Naru finally let his eyes from her.

"Stay with Mai." he said, glancing on Kat and starting to walk into the direction where Lin disappeared before.

"No."

Naru stopped dead in his track and turned around.

"Pardon?" he asked dangerously.

"You heard me. You are the one who will stay with her." Kat replied calmly, standing up herself.

Naru narrowed his eyes.

"Do what I say."

"No."

"You are working for me as long as you are at the case, so do as I said." He said with his voice law.

Mai looked from one to another. She admired Kat at the moment, not many people had guts to disagree with Naru.

Kat raised his brows and smirked, changing the tactics. She put a friendly arm around Mai's shoulder.

"Fine, I'm sure that she will be anxious to hear about his one time when we were ten and you…"

Naru's eyes widened slightly in horror and he interrupted her.

"You wouldn't dare." He said, watching Kat.

"Oh, you know that I would." She smirked wider on him, perfectly unaware of dangerous aura coming from him.

There was a moment of silence until Naru sighed in defeat and turned his head slightly from both girls.

"Fine." He snapped, glaring on the horizon.

Mai blinked in shock. Did Naru just lost…? It didn't happened often, the only person she remembered ever winning with Naru was Madoka. Well, maybe it run in the family or something… she wandered if it was possible.

Kati winked on her and took to the forest.

"Call the police!" she called over her shoulder.

Naru glared on her back and muttered something in English, which Mai couldn't really understand.

"_No shit, Sherlock." _


End file.
